Grounding sheath connector



R. BALL April 18, 1967 GROUND ING SHEATH CONNECTOR Filed Nov. 19, 1964 INVENTOR.

RALPH BALL 4770/?NEX United States PatentOfiice 3,315,024 Patented Apr. 18, 1967 3,315,024 GROUNDING SHEATH CONNECTOR Ralph Ball, Colonia, N.J., assignor to The Thomas & Betts Co., Elizabeth, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 19, 1964, Ser. No. 412,469 Claims. (Cl. 174-75) The invention relates to devices for grounding electrical conductors and more particularly to a unitary, insulated grounding sheath connector whereby the high frequency shielding on coaxial conductors and the like may be readily and positively connected to ground without adversely affecting the metallic shielding or the electrical characteristics of an insulated wire conductor or cable so shielded.

More specifically, the invention relates to a unitary, tubular connector for shielded coaxial cables wherein a pair of tubular metallic members or sleeves are locked Within an insulating cap or the like, in radially spaced, concentric relation for receiving therebetween in telescopic relation, an exposed end portion of the cable shield and a bare end portion of an insulated ground wire between the intruded shield and outer sleeve, and subsequently clamped between said tubular members by crimping the outer tubular member thereon through the insulating cap, the inner tubular member receiving the exposed portion of the cable therethrough while serving as a mandrel for crimping the intruded end portion of its metallic shielding thereon as exemplified in Logan Patent 2,954,420 assigned to the same assignee as in this application.

The present invention provides an improved grounding sheath connector of the character described wherein the inner one of a pair of telescoped metallic sleeves, is arranged in floating relation within the outer sleeve with one end of the inner sleeve free for limited endwise movement, tilting movement or orbital movement within the outer sleeve and open end portion of the insulating cap on said sleeve, relative to the axial center thereof.

Similar insulated grounding shield connectors as known heretofore possessed the disadvantage that it Was difiicult to intrude a free end portion of the high frequency shield of a coaxial cable in the free end of a double walled tubular sleeve, as in the aforesaid patent, because of the close tolerance, with the result that the intruded shield portion often piled-up between the respective sleeves and thus impeded the subsequent intrusion of a bare end portion of an insulated grounding conductor in approved manner therebetween.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved insulating grounding sheath connector for coaxial conductors which obviates the aforesaid disadvantage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ground sheath connector of the character described which is more easily and quickly installed on a shielded conductor including a ground connector therebetween than similar connectors known heretofore.

Another object of the nector whereby the space between said sleeves may be selectively increased on either side of its axial center truded therebetween in telescopic relation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a grounding sheath connector of the character described wherein the tolerance or space between the outer periphery of I the inner sleeve and the inner periphery of the outer sleeve may be increased angularly to one side of their axial center, after the free end of a braided shield of a coaxial conductor has been intruded therebetween, for the additional free insertion of a bare end portion of an insulated ground wire.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, the novel features of which are set forth with particularity in the appended claims, the invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, being best understood from the following description of a specific embodiment thereof, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the grounding sheath connector as applied to an exposed end portion of a coaxial conductor including a grounding connection;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the front end of the connector as seen in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the connector taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view of the opposite rear end of the connector as seen in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the improved grounding sheath connector positioned on an exposed end portion of a coaxial cable and over the inner metal sleeve which is subsequently tilted to facilitate the intrusion of a bare end portion of an insulated ground conductor between the intruded cable shield portion and outer metal sleeve, the sleeve being subsequently crimped through the insulating cap with the exposed cable shield and ground wire therebetween; and

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional view of the crimped grounding sheath connector.

Referring to the drawing, proved insulated grounding indicated at 10, in which a pair of sleeves 12 and 14 of suitable metal and locked in concentric, annularly spaced telescopic relation within a cap 16, of suitable insulation material, as hereinafter described, form a straight annular recess, therebetween adapted for the intrusion into FIGURE 1 illustrates the imsheath connector, generally of an insulated ground conductor .22.

In accordance with the invention and as best shown in FIGURE 3, the insulating cap 16, molded of nylon or the like for example, is substantially of bell shape exbore 24,

thereof having a pair of diametrically opposite, arcuate cut-outs 38 in the peripheral edge thereof, for a purpose hereinafter described, and a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the bore 24 in the cap 16, whereby the inner sleeve 12 may be freely inserted into the cap 16 with its flanged end 36 adjacent or against its closed end or annular flange 26 within the cap 16, by virtue of the fact that the diameter of the flange 36 is greater than the overall diameter of the scalloped inner periphery of the flange 26.

Upon placement of the sleeve 12 into the cap, the outer sleeve 14 of copper, having a length less than that of the sleeve 12, and an external diameter equal to the diameter of the straight bore 24 is flared outwardly at one end as at 40 so that when the outer sleeve 14 is forced into the bore 24, its flared end 40 will snap into the V groove 30 internally of the cap 16 and thus hold the inner sleeve 12 captive within the cap 16 by reason of the fact that the internal diameter of the outer sleeve 14 is substantially less than the diameter of the flanged end 36 of the inner sleeve 12. Thus, since the inner end of the outer sleeve 14 does not extend to the flange 26 within the cap 16, the inner sleeve 12 is free to have endwise or angular movement sufficient to permit tilting thereof within and relative to the axial center of the cap 16, as well as full orbital movement as when initially entering or inserting the free end of the inner sleeve 12 under the braided metallic shield 20 of an exposed end portion of a coaxial cable C, thus stabilizing the inner sleeve 12.

Subsequently, the inner sleeve 12 is tilted indirectly through the cable C in the manner exemplified in FIG- URE 5, whereby the free insertion of a bare end portion of an insulated grounding conductor 22, in the same direction, between the outer sleeve 14 and the inserted braid shield 20 is facilitated in accordance with the invention.

It is here to be noted that the arcuate cut-outs 38 in the periphery of the flanged end 36 of the inner sleeve 12, and the scalloped inner periphery 28 of the flange 26 within the cap 16, permit a partial view, at least, of the intruded braid shield 20 and bare end of grounding conductor 22, from the opposite or closed end of the insulating cap 16, whereby an operator may check to see that the insertions have been made in approved manner.

With the improved grounding sheath connector attached to an exposed end portion of a shielded coaxial cable C, as exemplified in FIGURE 5, the outer sleeve 14 is crimped, as in FIGURE 6, through the nylon insulating cap 16, onto the intruded portion of the metallic shield 20, including the intruded bare end portion of the insulated grounding conductor 22, the inner brass sleeve 12 serving as a mandrel which retains its circular form in the crimping of the intruded end portion of the metallic shield between the respective metal sleeves, the crimp imposed on the outer copper sleeve being of hexagonal configuration with the bare end of the grounding conductor disposed therebetween in one corner of the hexagonal crimp and the braided metallic shield, as exemplified in the transverse sectional view in FIGURE 6.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawing, it will be readily apparent that the improved insulated grounding sheath connector 10, not only provides an approve-d, simple and effiicent electrical and mechanical connection for grounding braided metallic cable shields, but also forms an enclosure on and about an exposed end portion of a coaxial cable which imparts a neat finished appearance thereto.

While the invention has been illustrated and described with respect to one embodiment thereof, it is to be expressly understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention concept underlying the same. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited except as is necessitated by the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector adapted for grounding the high frequency shield of coaxial conductors comprising, an insulating cap having a first end and a second end, a central opening through its first end forming an annular shoulder therein, said second end being open, and a pair of conductive sleeves differing in diameter and length within said cap in annular spaced telescopic relation, wherein the outer sleeve is force fitted within said cap between its respective ends and the inner end of the inner sleeve is disposed between said first end of the cap and the inner end of the outer sleeve, retention means on the inner end of said inner sleeve allowing limited relative endwise and angular movement between said inner sleeve and said outer sleeve sufficient to permit tilting of the inner sleeve within and relative to the axial center of said cap.

2. An electrical connector adapted for grounding the high frequency shield of coaxial conductors comprising an insulating cap having a first end and a second end, a central opening through its first end forming an annular shoulder therein, said second end being open, a counterbore in said cap in continuation of said central opening and an annular groove in said counterbore adjacent the second end of said cap, a pair of metal sleeves differing in diameter and length disposed in said bore in annular spaced, telescopic relation, the outer one of said sleeves being press fitted in said bore between its respective ends and provided with means at one end thereof seating in said annular groove, the other sleeve being provided at one end with an annular retention means freely movable in said bore between said shoulder and the inner end of said outer sleeve whereby said other sleeve is disposed for limited endwise and angular movement sufiicient to permit tilting and orbital movement thereof within and relative to the axial center of said cap.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 2, characterized further in that said annular retention means comprises an annular flange having a diameter slightly less than the diameter of said bore and greater than the inner diameter of said outer sleeve.

4. The invetnion as set forth in claim 3, characterized further in that the annular flange on one end of said other sleeve is provided with a pair of diametrically opposite arcuate cut-outs in the peripheral edge of said flange where-by to provide a View of the space between said sleeves from the first end of said cap.

5. The invention as set forth in claim 2, characterized further in that the inner periphery of the central opening through the first end of said cap comprises a scalloped surface whereby a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of an exposed end portion of a coaxial conductor and a clearance diameter are provided.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS LEWIS H. MYERS, Primary Examiner.

H. H. UBERFELD, J. F. RUGGIERO,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ADAPTED FOR GROUNDING THE HIGH FREQUENCY SHIELD OF COAXIAL CONDUCTORS COMPRISING, AN INSULATING CAP HAVING A FIRST END AND A SECOND END, A CENTRAL OPENING THROUGH ITS FIRST END FORMING AN ANNULAR SHOULDER THEREIN, SAID SECOND END BEING OPEN, AND A PAIR OF CONDUCTIVE SLEEVES DIFFERING IN DIAMETER AND LENGTH WITHIN SAID CAP IN ANNULAR SPACED TELESCOPIC RELATION, WHEREIN THE OUTER SLEEVE IS FORCE FITTED WITHIN SAID CAP BETWEEN ITS RESPECTIVE ENDS AND THE INNER END OF THE INNER SLEEVE IS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID FIRST END OF THE CAP AND THE INNER END OF THE OUTER SLEEVE, RETENTION MEANS ON THE INNER END OF SAID INNER SLEEVE ALLOWING LIMITED RELATIVE ENDWISE AND ANGULAR MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID INNER SLEEVE AND SAID OUTER SLEEVE SUFFICIENT TO PERMIT TILTING OF THE INNER SLEEVE WITHIN AND RELATIVE TO THE AXIAL CENTER OF SAID CAP. 